Beauty and the Beaststuck
by flipomatic
Summary: The rose she had offered, was truly an enchanted rose, which would bloom until his 21st year. If he could learn to love another, and earn her love in return, by the time the last petal fell, then the spell would be broken. If not, he would be doomed to remain a beast for all time. As the years passed, he fell into despair and lost all hope, For who could ever learn to love a beast?
1. Chapter 1

Author Note: Written for gravitysabully on this website, who requested disneystuck. This was originally going to be included in my prompt collection, but it developed into a chapter story.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

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Once upon a time in a faraway land, a young prince lived in a shining castle.

Although he had everything his heart desired, the prince was spoiled, selfish, and unkind.

But then, one winter's night, an old beggar woman came to the castle and offered him a single rose in return for shelter from the bitter cold.

Repulsed by her haggard appearance, the prince sneered at the gift and turned the old woman away.

But she warned him not to be deceived by appearances, for beauty is from within.

And when he dismissed her again, the old woman's ugliness melted away to reveal a beautiful trident wielding enchantress.

The prince tried to apologize, but it was too late.

For she had seen that there was no love in his heart.

And as punishment she mutated him into a hideous beast and placed a powerful spell on the castle and all who lived there.

Ashamed of his monstrous form, the beast concealed himself inside his castle with a fragment of the fourth wall as his only window to the outside world.

The rose she had offered, was truly an enchanted rose, which would bloom until his 21st year.

If he could learn to love another, and earn her love in return, by the time the last petal fell, then the spell would be broken.

If not, he would be doomed to remain a beast for all time.

As the years passed, he fell into despair and lost all hope,

For who could ever learn to love a beast?

* * *

As Terezi perused the town, tapping her cane along the ground, she wondered what the townspeople actually thought of her. Most of them almost never started conversations with her; they watched silently as she passed. If they were talking before, they stopped if she got too close. She could hear them gossiping as she walked away; exchanging vicious rumors about her missing parents, sickly roommate, and eerie grin.

She didn't care.

Dave and Jade owned the only bookshop in town, which was Terezi's only regular destination. The couple treated her kindly and allowed her to borrow books as long as she returned them. They had a large collection of braille books, which she devoured with relish.

Terezi particularly enjoyed stories about justice, and she read her favorite courtroom dramas until the braille practically felt flat under her fingertips. She also read quite a few fairy tales, and sometimes wondered to herself if the white knight actually existed.

A guy in town believed himself to be one. Eridan, the local hunter and hothead, approached every time he saw Terezi. At over six feet tall, he had the height advantage to see her coming from any direction.

This particular day was no different from the others.

"Hey there Ter," He sidled up to her near the town gate, placing one hand on her cane to prevent immediate injury. Vriska, a girl he recruited as his sidekick, followed a few feet behind, grinning silently as usual. "Another book, huh?" He grabbed it out of her basket, easily holding it up and out of reach. Eridan examined it for a moment before tossing it over one shoulder, dropping it into a pile of mud. "You should be thinking about more important things, like me."

"I don't know." Terezi wrest her cane out of his grasp, maneuvering around him to pick up the book. The cover was a little muddy, but the pages weren't ruined. "This book is awfully important." Terezi grinned up at him as she wiped the dirt off, and she pretended not to notice a moment later when her cane smacked his ankles.

"W-well I w-was w-wondering if you w-wanted to hit the tawern today?" Eridan stepped towards Terezi, and she automatically backed away.

"I wouldn't want to take you away from Vriska." Terezi smirked at the other girl, who glared angrily back "Besides, Tavros needs my help today."

"Pfft, that wimp!?" Vriska jumped into the conversation, cackling loudly. "Nobody could help that crazy loser, especially a blind girl."

"Don't talk about my friend that way!" Terezi snapped at the older girl.

"Yeah, don't talk about her friend that way!" Eridan frowned at Vriska, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Tavros isn't crazy!" A large explosion sounded from behind Terezi, probably coming from her house. It was the only building in the area prone to loud disturbances. She spun around towards the noise, ignoring Eridan and Vriska chortling behind her.

Terezi took off down the road, hoping this wouldn't be the explosion that finally burned down her farm. But the previous couple hundred explosions hadn't done it, so today probably wouldn't be the day.

She was right, the house wasn't on fire. Terezi could smell a lot of smoke billowing out of the bottom window, so she opened the door to the cellar and rushed into the basement. The last of the smoke filtered out past her, suffocating her for a moment, and Terezi could hear Tavros coughing across the room.

"How on earth did that happen?" He fidgeted with part of his invention, not handling it gingerly despite the fact that part of it just exploded.

"Tavros," Terezi called to him, making her way across the room carefully. "What happened?"

The teenaged boy stuck the piece back onto his contraption, shrugging once. "I'm not really sure. I think the engine backfired again." He rolled over to where the last piece lay, scooping it up and reattaching it. The contraption looked similar to the one he currently sat it, but with one key difference. It he could get the engine to work without backfiring, the wheelchair would move by itself.

It was a revolutionary concept, one that would change the lives of paraplegics across France.

"Huh," Terezi tapped it with her cane, wary of getting too close. "That's not good."

"I'll never get it to work!" Tavros hit it with his wrench, sighing in frustration.

"Only if you give up." Terezi stood next to Tavros, unsure of how to comfort him. "I bet you're only one small adjustment away from it running."

"Maybe" Tavros tightened a few bolts down with his wrench, adjusting the engine slightly. "I'm going to start it up one more time." He pressed the engine button as Terezi backed away a few steps; the wheelchair had burned her multiple times in the past.

But this time it didn't. It hummed slightly, vibrating in place, but failed to explode. Tavros wheeled up next to it, lifting himself up and over into the other chair.

He grasped the controls, directing it to roll forwards. It moved slowly, and his face lit into a grin.

"It works!" He rolled it a little faster, turning it left and right. "I can't believe it!"

"Congratulations!" Terezi couldn't see the movement, but she could hear the wheels turning smoothly across the floor. She heard Tavros roll back to his other chair, shutting the engine off and switching back. "What are you going to do with it now?" she leaned against the wall, gesturing her cane in his direction.

"I should get it patented." Tavros wheeled over to his desk, looking at one of the maps pasted on the wall. "I would have to go to Paris to do that though. Will you be okay on your own for a few days?" He spun towards Terezi, concern evident on his face. "I know Eridan's been giving you a hard time lately."

"I can handle myself." Terezi stepped towards the wheelchair bound boy. "You should go."

"I'll go today then." Tavros grinned, wheeling towards the ramp out of the basement. "Will you prepare Equius and the cart for me?"

"Sure." Terezi followed him out, turning towards the barn after emerging into the sun. The pair only had one horse, which Terezi inherited, along with the house, from her parents. She lived in the orphanage until she turned 18, but was given the property after being released. Tavros came from the same orphanage, and she was permitted to legally adopt him since she owned property.

The horses name was Equius, and every year the pair would hitch him up to their cart to haul their crops to Paris. Equius was a very strong horse, and pulled the plow every season. Between the three of them, they were able to grow enough to live on.

Terezi saddled him up to the cart, guiding him out to the road. Somehow, Tavros already had his device outside, and Terezi helped him load it. The cart had a ramp on the side that allowed Tavros to steer Equius from his wheelchair, so he didn't have to ride the horse directly.

"I'll be back in a few days." Tavros said from his perch.

"Good luck." Terezi waved as he pulled away; sniffing the air until his scent was completely gone. She strolled back to her house slowly; ready to settle down and read her book.

She wasn't expecting any trouble, but she retrieved her bladed cane from the closet just in case.

* * *

End Note: Let it be known that I know nothing about inventions, wheelchairs, patents, or France.


	2. Chapter 2

Author Note: What have I gotten myself into?

* * *

Tavros rode swiftly away from town, making quick progress before entering the forest. The shadows cast by the trees always made him nervous, so he hurried forward without looking back. He had originally wanted to get through the denser part of the forest before the sun set, but he didn't have enough time and when the sun disappeared he was still amongst the trees.

He found himself traveling by the few strands of moonlight that managed to trickle through the thick canopy of leaves. Equius wanted to turn back and make camp outside the forest, but Tavros kept him on course. The pair heard wolves howling in the distance, hopefully out of smelling range.

Unfortunately, they were probably howling because they noticed his carriage invading their forest. They approached from all sides as Tavros urged Equius to gallop faster. The cart barely escaped the initial ambush, trampling one of the wolves in the process.

The trees rushed past as the wolves snapped at the unfortunate travelers. The horse could feed their clan for a week; there was no way they could let it escape.

They forgot about the castle that resided in the darkest corner of the forest, waiting with the gates unlocked.

A sigh of relief ran through Tavros when he spotted it, but he didn't have time to stop Equius in order to open the gates. He was no good at fighting and could barely wield a stick, so killing the wolves was out of the question.

He did have enough of a lead on the creatures to slow Equius for a moment and call for help. Somebody in the castle was bound to hear the commotion.

Slowing down didn't work exactly as he planned. He got as close as he could to the castle before even trying. When he pulled the reigns back gently, Equius refused to listen. He charged on stubbornly, barely turning in time to not crash into the castle gates.

But the cart was a bit wider than the horse, and crashed straight into the wall next to the gate. It found purchase and stuck, refusing to continue going forward. The ropes holding Equius to the cart were already frayed, and this was the last straw. They ripped with a sharp shearing sound, sending the horse running into the night.

Tavros tried not to panic; at least he made it to shelter. The wolves were more interested in the horse than him and had continued following Equius. This gave Tavros time to roll down the side of the cart and try to open the gates.

Much to his surprise, they were unlocked. They pulled open reluctantly, squealing loudly from disuse. There was barely enough space next to the cart to open the gate, so he almost wasn't able to fit his wheelchair through.

Once he was in, he shut the gate firmly behind him; if those wolves came back, they wouldn't be smart enough to pull on the gate.

A courtyard separated the gates from the front door, and Tavros crossed the space quickly. The castle seemed intimidating from this close, but there was no going back now. Anything was better than wolves. He knocked firmly at the doors, but nobody answered. They were unlocked as well, so he pushed them open cautiously.

"Hello?" He called as he rolled over the threshold. "Is there anybody here?" He looked around the large atrium, taking note of the two wings. Nobody responded, so he wheeled farther into the room.

"He mutht have lotht hith way in the woodth." He heard a faint male voice to his left, lisping almost every other word. He rotated his head in that direction, but didn't see anything.

"Maybe if we're quiet he won't notice us." A female voice this time, distinctly different from the first one.

"Is someone there?" Tavros called into the empty room, the sound echoing back slightly. "I don't mean to intrude, but I ran into some wolves and my cart is jammed in your gate. I would be very grateful if I could stay here for the night."

"Oh, come on AA." There was definitely somebody there. "Of courthe you are welcome here!"

Tavros scooped up a candlestick sitting on a nearby table, lifting it up to see farther. It was a strange one, with a blue, red, and yellow candle. "Who said that?"

"Over here." The voice sounded to his right, and he spun to look. But nobody was there.

"Where?" Tavros circled again in confusion, stopping when he felt a tap on his arm.

"Hello." The candlestick said as Tavros finally noticed the mouth and eyes on it. It smirked at him until he dropped it a heartbeat later. It fell flat on the ground, and Tavros could only stare as it stood up and brushed itself off.

"Woah." Was the only word he managed, leaning forward in his chair slightly. A small clock jumped off the nearby table, joining the candlestick on the floor.

"Well, he's found us out now." She stood next to her companion, exchanging a glance with him. Tavros just stared at the pair.

"He can thtay then!" The candlestick grinned, gesturing for Tavros to follow him. "Come warm yourthelf by the fire."

"T-thank you." Tavros wheeled behind the candlestick slowly as he led the way.

"Be careful," The clock warned, "The master will be displeased if he finds out."

"Don't worry tho much AA." The candlestick waved one waxy arm, opening the door to a side room. A fire already burned in the hearth, and Tavros wheeled up next to it to warm up. A tray with a teapot on it rolled in a minute later.

"Would you like a cup of tea?" The teapot asked in a warm grandmotherly voice.

"Oh, um, no thanks." Tavros didn't really drink tea. He wondered how these talking objects worked, but wondered if it would be rude to ask.

Just as the tray started to roll away, the doors to the room burst open behind Tavros. A cold wind blew in, extinguishing the fire with one gust. A shudder ran down his spine as he heard something move behind him.

"There's a stranger here." It growled, probably addressing the strange living devices.

"Let me explain, some wolves tried to eat him, it was only right to…" A loud growl cut the candlestick off, putting out his fire in the process. The clock raised one hand to say something, but the newcomer refused to let it, emitting another roar in the process.

"What the fuck have I told you about letting people into the house?!" It hissed right in her face before turning to Tavros. The beast grabbed the back of the chair, spinning it around to face him.

Tavros stared in shock at the creature in front of him. At 7 feet tall, it towered over the wheelchair bound teen. Dark brown fur covered it from head to toe. But its most distinctive features were the eyes; a pair of blood red rubies glistening in the dark.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" The creature leaned over Tavros with all teeth displayed.

"I-I-I was lost in the woods…" Tavros stuttered, pulling his chair back a few feet.

"You are not welcome here!" The beast wouldln't let him open up any distance.

"I-I'm sorry." Tavros couldn't back away any farther; the wall got in the way.

"What are you staring at?!" It stood up taller, increasing the volume of its voice by a few decibels.

"N-nothing" There was nowhere for Tavros to go. He shook his head fervently, but it didn't seem to help.

"So you came to ogle the fucking beast, haven't you?" The creature reached forward and grasped Tavros's shirt, pulling him straight out of the wheelchair. In that moment, Tavros decided that the wolves might have been better.

"I meant no harm! I was only looking for a place to stay!" Tavros protested, trying to remove the beast's claws from his shirt.

"I'll give you a fucking place to stay!" The beast swept out of the room and slammed the door, leaving the candlestick and clock to huddle together in silence.

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End Note: Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

Author Note: Thank you everybody who reviewed the second chapter, your support is greatly appreciated. Equius secretly killed all of those wolves.

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The day after Tavros left, Terezi was deeply involved in reading her book. She heard the alarming sound of brass instruments once in the distance, but since it faded immediately she ignored it.

But she couldn't ignore whoever was knocking on her door. They knocked loudly and confidently, telling Terezi exactly who darkened her doorstep. She slipped a piece of paper in the book to mark her place, setting it down on the table in the process, and picked up her cane.

She tapped over to the door, deliberately taking a few extra seconds before opening the door. The scent of musk wafted in, quickly overpowering all other smells in the area. Eridan leered at her through the door, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation.

"Eridan." Terezi stepped away from him as he entered. "What a… pleasant surprise."

"Isn't it though?" He refused to allow her to increase the distance between them, matching her step for step. He leaned against the table her book sat on, nearly knocking it to the floor. "You know-w Ter, there's not a girl in tow-wn w-who w-wouldn't lowe to be in your shoes." He stopped for a moment to fix his hair in a mirror. "This is the day your dream comes true."

"Which one?" Terezi smirked in his direction. "Is it the one where I become a lawyer or the one where I suddenly learn to fly?"

"Neither." Eridan's smirk slipped for a moment, but he recovered immediately. "Picture this." He waved his hands around, gesturing within the space. "A rustic hunting lodge w-with my latest kill roasting on the fire. My w-wife keeping everything tidy w-while the little ones play on the floor with the dogs. W-we'll have six or sewen."

"Dogs?" Terezi snickered.

"No Ter, strapping boys, like me!" He loomed over Terezi and she tried to move away again, only to bump straight into the wall.

"Imagine that." She fiddled with her cane, double checking that she had the right one.

"And you know-w w-who that w-wife w-will be?" Eridan encroached into Terezi's personal space, his shadow engulfing her smaller form.

"Let me guess." She muttered under her breath, turning her head away from his.

"You, Ter." His breath ghosted her cheek, both arms encasing her onto the wall.

"This is very forward, even for you." Terezi smiled in what she hoped was an endearing manner, pulling her sword cane the first few inches out of its sheath.

"W-well I'm tired of not being forw-ward. Say you'll marry me." Eridan loomed within inches, almost pressing his entire body right against Terezi's.

"Certainly not. We wouldn't make a good match." She pulled the sword completely out, tilting it up between them to brush his neck. "And if you don't get out of my house right this second, you won't have the chance to be this forward ever again."

Eridan recoiled in surprise, clutching one hand to his not even scratched neck. Terezi pointed the sword in his direction, not saying a word as he displayed two empty palms.

"I see how-w it is." His voice wavered slightly as he backed away, not turning his back on Terezi to open the door. She followed him towards it, slamming it shut once he was gone. She re-sheathed her cane sword, sitting back down at the table.

Eridan had some nerve, she thought, barging in her and asking her to marry him. Not only had they not dated, but ever since she lost her eyesight she actively avoided him. He didn't seem to care and was only interested in settling down, but Terezi wasn't ready to settle down; she still hoped to sell her parents property and leave the village someday. Getting married would be an enormous step in the wrong direction.

She figured it was probably time to feed the animals, so she grabbed a bucket of corn and took it back to the chicken coop. It would be a good way to vent her frustration. The chickens clucked loudly as she fed them, eagerly gobbling up the food.

Over the sound of happy poultry, Terezi was surprised to hear hooves thundering along her field. They approached rapidly, skidding to a halt as a horse neighed from outside the coop.

Terezi recognized that neigh.

"Equius?" she exited the coop, meeting the horse around the side. Terezi sniffed him carefully; he seemed to be missing both the cart and his rider. She placed one hand on his heaving flank, and it came back sticky with blood. "Where's Tavros?" she questioned. Equius only neighed in response. "What happened?" she licked her hands, shuddering at the iron like taste. "This is still fresh." She grabbed Equius's reigns to hold him still, and he tugged her towards the road. "You want to go? Well alright then." Terezi climbed up onto him carefully, tucking her cane into his saddle, and he galloped away from the house at full speed.

The pair reached the castle faster than Tavros did the first time, and the sun set not long after they entered the forest. The cart was still lodged in the gate, so Equius barely fit through. Terezi left him in the courtyard since horses weren't usually welcome in large castles.

She pulled the front door open cautiously, sniffing the air before entering. She tapped her cane around the area, making note of anything she ran into.

"Hello?" Terezi called out, hoping for a response from whoever actually lived in this building. "Is anybody here?" She turned to walk around the edge of the room, entering the first door she found. "Tavros?" She nearly walked straight into the wheelchair, abandoned near the embers of the fire. He must've still been in the building somewhere; he couldn't get far without the chair. She retraced her steps back to the center room, this time making her way up what was probably the center staircase. She climbed higher and higher, searching each floor along the way, but didn't smell anything of interest.

After a while she heard something, or someone, clatter through one of the side doorways, so she explored in that direction. It was only another staircase, but she pressed on. Whoever made the noise probably wasn't Tavros anyway. When she reached the top of the steps, she finally received a response to her questions.

"Terezi?" a feeble voice echoed from somewhere in the room. "Is that you?" It certainly sounded like Tavros, and Terezi hurried over to it. But when she got close, she discovered a door blocking her path.

"Tavros?" Terezi tried to open the door, but it wouldn't budge. She ended up grasping Tavros's hands through the bars near the bottom. His hands felt chilly against hers, sucking all the warmth out of the room. "You didn't lock yourself in there, did you?"

"Very funny." Tavros chuckled weakly, coughing a couple of times as well.

"Back away from the door, I'm going to break you out of there." Terezi tried to release Tavros, but he tightened his grip.

"No, there's no time." He wheezed, "I won't be of any use anyway. You have to go before it comes back." His face was deathly pale, and his chest heaved as if every breath was a challenge.

"What do you mean?" Terezi questioned, concerned for her housemate.

"I don't have time to explain, just go!" Even when shouting, his voice lacked its usual vigor.

Terezi didn't have a chance to respond before something grabbed her from behind, yanking her away from Tavros. It spun her around, retreating when she whacked it with her cane.

"Who are you?" She snarled. "And why have you locked up my friend?"

"I am the master of this castle." Whatever grabbed her growled at the end of the sentence, and Terezi made note of the un-human like behavior. "He trespassed on my property, so I assumed he never wanted to leave." The creature growled again, and Terezi adjusted to keep her cane pointing in its direction as it paced.

"Let him out." She demanded forcefully. "He's sick."

"Then he shouldn't have trespassed here!" Based on the tone of this creature's voice and the volume of his growl, Terezi didn't think she could take him in a fight. There would have to be some other way out of this.

"But he could die!" she exclaimed. She turned her head back towards Tavros, smelling the waves of fear and illness coming off him in droves. "Take me instead." She blurted out; wondering if that was even a viable option since technically she was a trespasser too.

"You!?" The creature seemed slightly offended. "You would… take his place?" Tavros protested loudly behind Terezi, but she ignored him.

"If I did." She said slowly, measuring each word. "Would you let him go?"

"Yes, but you must promise to stay here forever." He sounded almost hopeful. Terezi hesitated for a moment, taking a long sniff in his direction. For some reason, he didn't smell anything like any person she met before. He still smelled red, it was just, different somehow. Whatever it was, it might have related to his odd growling. Regardless, this was the only way to save Tavros without risking a fight.

"You have my word." Terezi tapped her cane on the ground for emphasis, and the creature swept past her.

"Done!" He opened up the cell door, grabbing Tavros and dragging him out of the room. As they went, Terezi could hear Tavros protesting the entire way, calling to be put back behind the door. She also heard the beast stop in the hallway to yell at a servant.

"Dammit Sollux! What have I told you about trespassers! This is the second one in two days! Do you want them to steal my stuff? Because if you don't stop them from just waltzing in here, that's what they're going to do! You might as well just help them load up their cart with all my stuff!"

As the sounds faded down the corridor, Terezi wondered what kind of mess she had gotten herself into.

* * *

End Note: Thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

Author Note: So this is where it starts to be different from the movie. I'm sorry if my Sollux is really bad and out of character. I've never written Sollux before, and I think after this I never will again.

* * *

Sollux kept an eye on the new resident while Karkat threw the other intruder out of the castle. Aradia stood with him, waiting patiently in the door for Karkat to return.

The new girl made her way around the room slowly, tapping the floor and walls with her cane. She was a little strange, Sollux thought to himself. Not only did she manipulate KK into letting her friend go, she didn't seem to be afraid of his strange appearance. When she licked one of the walls of the tower it only cemented Sollux's opinion of her.

"Do you think she could be the one?" Aradia muttered quietly, glancing over in his direction.

"I hope tho." Sollux responded quietly. "The might be our latht chance."

"I can hear you, you know." The girl interrupted their conversation, approaching the doorway while flashing a shark-like grin. "I'm blind, not deaf." She came within an inch of poking Sollux with her cane.

"We should introduce ourselves." Aradia was unperturbed by the other girls sharp teeth. "My name is Aradia and this is Sollux. Feel free to ask us if you need anything during your stay here."

"I'm Terezi." She sniffed the air, getting closer to the pair. "You smell interesting, kind of like a mix between freshly cut pine and appleberries." She crouched down, placing her sensitive nose within an inch of Aradia's clock face. "Can I have a taste?"

"No." Sollux interjected, waving one lit hand under Terezi's nose. She pulled back before the fire could do any damage. "Certainly not." The girl chuckled as she backed away, rubbing her nose once. Before she could say anything else, Karkat appeared in the doorway. His shadow loomed over the two servants, casting darkness into the room.

"Yo KK." Sollux spun around, crossing his candle arms. "Did you get rid of that kid?"

"I threw that asshole onto his cart and sent him packing." Karkat growled, gesturing with one paw. "If he knows what's good for him he'll never darken my doorstep ever again." He looked away from Sollux to watch Terezi and paused for a moment, his gaze softening almost imperceptibly. "Put her in with Nepeta, that room should be suitable."

"Underthood." Sollux nodded as KK made his retreat, turning back to face Terezi. "C'mon, We'll thhow you to your room."

Sollux and Aradia led Terezi down the winding staircase in relative silence. The sound of the tapping cane echoed through the empty hallways. They were almost to the designated room when Aradia broke the tension.

"You will have free reign of the castle during your stay, but I would be careful not to piss off Karkat." She addressed Terezi, and the other girl acknowledged her with a nod.

"What about the wetht wing?" Sollux inquired. If the girl was going to stay here, she would have to know where not to go as well.

"I wasn't going to mention it." As they reached the correct door, Aradia came to a stop. "Some things are better left unsaid."

"Whatever." Sollux scoffed, pushing the door open to Terezi's new home. "Thith'll be your room. Dinner will be therved at thix."

"Thank you." Terezi brushed past him, giving the new space a long sniff. "But I probably won't go to dinner." She shut the door behind her and the gust of wind put out Sollux's candles.

"Hmph." He relit them with a huff. "KK won't like that."

"It'll be alright." Aradia leaned against the wall next to the door. "Why don't you check on Karkat? He seemed a little frazzled earlier. I'll go see if Kanaya is interested in serving some tea."

"Alright," Sollux nodded. "See you later." He hopped away, already thinking of a few places his target could be.

Karkat always went to the same place when he was upset, so Sollux decided to start looking for him there. He climbed the stairs to the west wing slowly, listening for the sound of things breaking.

When he didn't hear anything, he carefully entered Karkat's room. The wreckage looked the same as it always did; scattered and demolished. His master sat on the balcony, staring out at the forest wistfully.

"We got her settled in." Sollux joined Karkat on the balcony. "Do you think she could be the one?" He couldn't help but re-ask Aradia's question, wondering if Karkat got the same vibe from Terezi as he did.

"I don't know." Karkat sighed loudly. "I think she has to be. We're running out of time." He hit one hand against the balcony rail, creating yet another crack running along it.

"There might thtill be time to throw your line back and catch another one." Sollux gestured towards the rose. "Thith one theemth a little crazy."

"What did she do?" Karkat raised one eyebrow.

"Nothing much." Sollux scowled, "Just lick the wallth and be generally creepy. But hey, maybe a blind girl ith the kind you've needed all along."

"Shut up." Karkat paced back into the building, walking in circles around the rose. There was practically a groove in the floor from how often he did this. The door creaked as it opened and a cart pushed itself in. Kanaya rode on top of it, her presence distracting Karkat from his circling.

"You up for some tea?" Kanaya called as her transportation device rolled over, stopping right in front of Karkat.

"Not right now." He growled, turning away from the cart.

"Did you meet the girl yet?" Sollux hopped back inside and up onto the cart.

"Yes," Kanaya poured a cup of tea despite Karkat's protest, which he picked up and sipped without complaint. "I stopped in to see her before coming here. She is very… interesting."

"Odd, the word you're looking for ith odd." Sollux chuckled softly.

"Nepeta seems to like her. I think she could be the one to break the spell." Kanaya smiled up at Karkat encouragingly.

"You're right." He exclaimed, dropping the tea cup. It shattered against the cart, mixing lukewarm tea with countless shards. "I'm gonna go down there and talk to her. I am the master of romance and all the ladies swoon for my amazing skills. The spell will be broken by midnight." Karkat rushed out into the hallway, leaving Sollux and Kanaya behind.

"Mood thwingth much?" Sollux scoffed as the cart took chase, following Karkat through the twisting corridors.

"He probably cannot help it." Kanaya quipped. "This has been his only real chance to break the spell; it must be nerve wracking."

The cart didn't catch up to Karkat until he stopped in front of Terezi's door, one hand lifted to knock. He stood paralyzed as the seconds ticked by, hesitating on the brink of action.

"What happened to all that confidence?" Sollux chortled, hopping over to the door. Karkat glared at him before knocking on the door firmly.

"Who is it?" Terezi's voice called from inside, and Karkat took a half step back from the door as she pulled it open. She sniffed a couple of times near his chest. "Ah, you smell like the master of this castle. Do you need something?" She held her cane by her side, seemingly relaxed, but Sollux could see her knuckles tinted white against the wood.

Karkat took a deep breath. "I just wanted to reintroduce myself. You can call me Karkat."

* * *

End Note: Thanks everybody who has read and/or reviewed so far. Your support is greatly appreciated.


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